[...] Johnny Rapp don't catch you the engine as well.
He'll get this California gold through and Grand will have our scalps anyway.
Push and cruise, I...
Yes, sir.
I sing as I wander along on the lonely
road.
There's a song in my heart as I'm toting my weary load.
Over mountain and desert and valley, With the wind for a compass
I see, That I'm on the right road and mine is a light
load for me.
Thanks, thanks to the heroes before me, I'm free as the
breeze, I go wherever I please.
With my song along freedom road.
Gone are the dark days of the war between the states.
Gone too are the rumbling wagon wheels on the old pioneer trails.
Today other wheels are rolling on the superhighways of modern America.
This is a story of America and some of the people along the way.
The people could be you or me or the neighbor next door.
That is all except one.
The story begins on a California highway near San Francisco.
Meet Jimmy Rollins of Seattle on his way to Washington, D.C. and his
first Boy Scout jamboree.
He's getting a king-size thrill out of the ever-changing view of America
through these big picture windows.
How's it look to you so far, son?
It's the greatest.
Take this highway, for instance.
It follows the coast all the way down to San Diego.
And then remember, it's the same road the Spaniards
followed almost 200 years ago.
Only they call the El Camino Real, King's Highway.
Try and imagine how it looked then.
You mean with Spaniards on horseback?
In your own mind's eye, yes.
Fred Schroeder of Portland, Oregon also has his place in this story of America.
Summoned to the nation's capital to receive a medal for his only son, Fred
Schroeder should be a proud man.
He isn't.
Oh, boy, look at that.
It's the longest single-span bridge in the world.
Gee whiz.
Aren't you even going to look at it?
Look at what?
It's only the Golden Gate Bridge.
Only?
[...]
Sure doesn't look like the Old West.
Well, maybe not here and now.
But they tell me you should have seen it 100 years ago.
San Francisco was the Old West then.
I see that street sign up ahead.
Sutter Street.
Behind that sign I see Sutter's Mill in the Valley of the Sacramento.
The year is 1848.
John Sutter's workmen were digging in new mill rates in the river and found gold.
Sutter tried hard to keep it quiet, knowing it meant trouble.
But it was like fighting a prairie fire with a bucket.
People came from everywhere, from way beyond the farm of Zuri, the
Mississippi, and the Monongahela.
Even the Rockies couldn't stop the rush for gold.
Where there was no road, it was block and tackle, and just plain old willpower.
Skimming over our highways today in air-conditioned comfort, it's hard to realize
what those 49ers went through to get here.
A lot of them didn't make it, but the rest kept coming.
It went on and on until the River of the Sacramento and all the runs and cricks
were swarming with men seeking California gold.
See, I can almost see it.
Boy, I wonder what happened to all that gold.
I can tell you what happened to some of it.
This man is another figure in our story of America,
perhaps the greatest of them all.
Mark him well.
In his way, he is to affect the lives of several people.
During the war between the states, both the North
and the South badly needed that gold.
Once General Grant sent a detachment to bring through a wagon train of it.
They're massacred by Indians.
It's all part of our American history now, Jimmy, a history we can be proud of.
Why don't you know my name was Jimmy?
Isn't he a little young for propaganda?
Well, I never thought of patriotism as having an age limit.
Why shouldn't we be proud of our history, Mr. Schroeder?
Even as late as that of Korea.
What do you mean by that?
San Francisco terminal, 40 minutes for lunch.
Well, Jimmy, let's see what's on the menu.
Bye.
So long, Jimmy.
Sail over the president for me.
Where did I pick him up?
[...] of all Chicago police.
Now, I'm [...]
All aboard.
Thank you.
That's your number, 14?
No, young fellow, that's my safety record.
Like you earn a badge in scouting.
That means I've driven for 14 years and never even dented a fender.
You must be pretty good.
Oh, there are plenty longer records than that.
The men who drive for Greyhound are proud they've made it
the safest transportation in the land.
Who's the proprietor around here?
Where to, please?
Thank you.
Hi there, General.
Hey, aren't you Bill Roberts of the Philadelphia Eagles?
Could be.
Excuse me.
He's a professional football player.
Got it. Thank you.
Thank you.
Fumble.
Oh, I'm sorry.
That's all right.
Wrong way Roberts does it again.
Thank you.
Thanks, Coach.
Anyway,
I don't have to be a filly for a week to sign the
contract, so I thought I'd see the country.
I hear it's quite a country.
It is.
You, uh, you live in New York?
I work there.
I've been home on vacation in San Francisco.
Me too.
What do you know?
A couple of natives and we've got to go out of town to meet.
Funny, isn't it?
Say, look, it's only a hop from Philadelphia to New York.
How about seeing the big town together?
Why, um, I, uh, I'll be pretty busy.
[...]
Oh, I see.
Guess I was offside, huh?
Mind if we have a little talk?
What about?
You have a problem, so have I.
I thought we might be able to help each other find the answers.
I know the answer to mine.
Are you sure you didn't look in the back of the wrong book?
Hey, Bill, look at this.
Excuse me. I'm public.
Look, there's another one.
Rude of the Phony Express.
It's all right here in that book.
Riders of the Phony Express.
That's right. Sacramento was the western end of it, you know.
And St. Joe, Missouri was the eastern end.
Here it is. Listen.
The first telegraph line had been strung as far west as St. Joe, Missouri.
From there on, the mail had to be carried by stagecoach.
It was 2,000 miles from St. Joe's Sacramento.
It took weeks and months, and then they didn't always get through.
That's when the Phony Express was organized.
People said it couldn't be done, but it was.
Eighty-dearing young riders, many in their teens, and 500 thoroughbred horses.
They had stations on the way so a rider could change horses every 30 to 40 miles.
These Phony riders would start out from St. Joe with a pistol and a pair of her
and the Sacramento mail.
No matter what the difficulties, the dangers, or the
obstacles, the riders went through.
The one was that terrific.
You know, you could almost see those points.
I wish I would have been living in.
How old are you, young man?
Thirteen, sir.
Thirteen.
Ten years ago.
He liked the West, too.
Who, Mr. Schroeder?
He was a boy scout.
They couldn't wait to get him in uniform, either.
Easy, Schroeder.
Let's look this guy.
Don't you like this country, mister?
No, Bill.
If you want to fight for it, they'll give you a uniform, too.
I put mine away after Korea.
Any more questions?
I think it's time for some answers, Bill.
Mr. Schroeder's only son was killed in Korea.
He just found out how.
The boy's been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Mr. Schroeder's on his way to Washington to accept him.
I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know.
I didn't know anybody.
Congressional Medal of Honor.
Gosh, that's the highest there is.
Is it?
You know, this is one of the few towns in the world that never sleeps.
They all come here to gamble.
Or because they have gambled and lost.
You mean?
I mean a person ought to be real sure she's marrying the right guy.
Waldo's a fine man.
And he has good prospects, too.
Waldo?
Besides, he's my boss.
Oh, I'm sure he's a good, dependable guy.
But do you have fun together?
Of course.
Well, not frivolous, but...
Oh, frivolous is the best kind sometimes.
That's where I could be a help.
Where's the rest of your troops, son? They lost, too?
No, sir. They went on ahead.
My dog was sick, and I couldn't leave till he got better.
Oh, good for you, son.
I like a feller I could depend on, even if I was a dog.
Say, aren't you Tex Ritter? The movie cowboy?
That's my brand.
I saw you get on out there, me.
I've been on personal appearances, Denver and places.
I wish I could hear you in person.
Well, could you?
Well, now, maybe I could. Just one short one.
Did you ever hear the legend of the Alamo?
Oh, no.
Did you ever hear of Davy Crockett?
Oh, sure.
Well, this is song here is about Davy and the Alamo.
Now, you try to imagine that you're in San Antonio, Texas, while I sing about it.
Alamo and the stubborn band that stood in the
path of invasion.
A hundred and eighty were challenged by Travis to die.
By the line that he drew with his sword when the battle was nigh.
And young Davy Crockett was first to cross over with a gallant
rifilce in his eye.
Forgot him for freedom, a man more than willing to die.
High, high, Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below.
That men, wherever they go, will
remember the Alamo.
They sent a young scout through the battlements bloody and loud.
Where the words of farewell from a garrison valiant and proud.
Grieving out a little darling, mundane.
If Texas is sovereign and free, we'll never surrender endeavor
with liberty be.
High, Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below.
That men, wherever they go, will remember
the Alamo.
Even our songs glorify senseless sacrifice.
What good did they do those few men to fight
on when they knew they'd all be killed anyway?
Well, no answer to that for sure. I wouldn't be here.
I don't understand you. You will. Before this trip's over, I promise you.
Honest, Mary. That's the way it is.
Oh, Bill. Right when I thought I had my life all planned and ordered.
Why did you have to come along?
I'm awful glad I did. Aren't you?
I don't know.
Now, that's why I like this kind of travel.
To me, every mile of America is a magnificent mile.
Especially when you can see it close up like we're doing.
But you've got to give me more time.
Time? Time I'm running fresh out of.
Gee, Mary, I can't let you just walk out of my life.
This trip will be over before you know it.
You see? We're coming into Chicago now.
That's Lake Michigan.
Oh?
That lake saved a good many lives once.
It did?
To look at it the way it is today, it's hard to realize that right here in 1871
was the scene of the most destructive fire there ever was.
Thousands of people saved themselves were wading out into the lake.
Where the smoke turned day and night and the flames turned night and day.
Oh, because Miss O'Leary's cow kicked over that land.
But the city rebuilt bigger and better than ever.
With only a few landmarks left to show where the great fire was.
Well, let's see we're pulling in. I'll be leaving you in Chicago.
You can get off and look around if you want to. You'll have a little time here.
Well, then goodbye, Mr. Ritter. Just wait till the
troop hears. I rode this far with you.
Pleasure's all mine, Jimmy. Be a good scout.
Oh, goodbye, Tex. Go along, partner.
Say, I know where I've seen you before. Is that so?
But you and my outfit, the old second division.
Well, we'll have lunch at Cleveland.
Cleveland already?
Why is it time flies so when you're happy and drags so when you're unhappy?
Ought to be the other way around. Hurry up when you're unhappy and slow down when
you're happy so you can enjoy it.
You're a funny girl.
Funny peculiar, funny ha ha.
I mean funny, wonderful.
Hey, Bill.
Oh, so it's pirates now, huh? You know, I've
been down where a lot of these fellas used to hang out.
Honest? Where?
Florida Keys.
Keys?
Yeah, that's a string of islands off the southern tip of the United States.
They're connected by a series of bridges making a highway almost a hundred miles
long as the crow flies, stretching right out over the ocean.
All the way to Key West.
These islands were said to be part of the old Spanish main.
Like it says here in your book.
Among these keys and coves, buccaneers used to lie in wait until a fat
merchantman came along or a rival pirate crew, whereupon they
would grapple in a furious fight.
[...]
Yes, the important thing is to recognize a treasure when you find one.